


Since The Summer of 1989

by tini_dancer



Category: IT (2017), IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, It Chapter Two (2019)
Genre: Bisexual Richie Tozier, Derry, During/After It Chapter Two, Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier-centric, Fix-It, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, M/M, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, The Kissing Bridge (IT), r+e
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-12 22:56:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20572313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tini_dancer/pseuds/tini_dancer
Summary: Of course he had been this close to Eddie before, more times than he can count. He had been this close to all of the Losers at one point or another. That’s just how it is when you are best friends. But, of course, it was always different with Eddie. Well, it’s been different since the summer of 1989, when Eddie in his eyes went from being his best friend to his unrequited first love. That was such a sin back then, to love another boy. He never had the courage when he was older to come out, even when he moved to LA to kick off his career. He even slept around with women to try and hide it, but he was so miserable. He had been miserable for years. It wasn’t until he had come back to Derry did he feel that spark in his heart again. It wasn’t until he saw Eddie.ORRichie saves Eddie before he can get impaled by It, and they figure out where exactly they stand once all of it is done.





	Since The Summer of 1989

**Author's Note:**

> *if not obvious SPOILERS FOR IT CHAPTER TWO  
**Takes place at the end of It Chapter Two  
***this is for those who have suffered the horrible loss of Eddie Kaspbrak and want him back

“_ ...I think I killed It! Richie! Holy shit, I killed It!” _

_ Then the only thing he saw was blood. _

_ When his vision cleared, Eddie was dangling above him, It’s claw protruding through his chest. He could hear Beverly and Bill’s gut-wrenching screams, but his entire focus was on Eddie. _

_ “Richie…? ....Richie…” _

_ “...Eddie…” _

Richie blinked a few times, trying to figure out where exactly he was. He was on his back, the ground cold and wet. His hearing was fuzzy, but someone was definitely talking. As his eyes adjusted, he saw Eddie on top of him with a big dumb grin on his face. He was talking at a million miles per hour, per usual.

“Richie! There ya are, buddy! Hey, I think I killed It! Holy shit…”

He knew what was happening now. Richie recognized these words. He had just heard them. He knew what was going to happen. So, not even completely conscious, he pulled Eddie towards him and took him into his arms, rolling them to the side just as It’s claw came whizzing past their heads.

Richie ended up on top of Eddie, finally regaining full consciousness. He scrambled off of him and pulled Eddie up, pulling him to join the rest of the Losers. They gathered in a small cave while It was still impaled.

“What the fuck are we supposed to do now? Your damn ritual didn’t work,” Richie looked at Mike, who honestly looked clueless. It seemed like they were running out of options. It was either they all kill It or they all die. Then, his head still shaking from the whiplash of the last minute or so, Eddie speaks up.

“I almost killed It before,” he said, “Not just now, but earlier. When we were getting out artifacts It came at me as the leper, trying to choke me. Then _ I _ choked _ it _. It physically became smaller, to where I was taller than it-”

“Congrats, Eds, you were finally tall!”

Eddie rolled his eyes, “Beep beep, Rich. Anyways, that’s how I almost did it. I made it feel small, so it became small. Maybe, if we make it small enough, we can kill It. For good.”

Beverly looked past them all, “The passage. We had to squeeze through there. To go through it, It would have to become small.”

“There’s a shortcut over here,” Ben says, standing by a small opening. One by one, they filed through the shortcut and peaked out to make sure they had time. Seeing that It was still struggling to get unstuck, they ran for the exit, only to be suddenly stopped by It.

“Well there goes that plan,” Richie said, trying to be funny but not able to hide his fear.

“There’s more than one way to make someone small,” Bev said. And then it hit all of them. If they were going to defeat it, they were going to have to bully him into oblivion. The bullied were going to have to become the bullies.

It overheard their plan and moved towards them, causing the Losers to back up, “Make _ me _small? You filthy children, I am the eater of worlds!”

“Not to us, you’re not,” Mike said, and It stopped in its tracks, “to us, you’re just a clown.”

It took a second to shake it off, then snarled at Beverly.

“You’re a bully!”

Then Ben, “You’re a fat loser!”

“IMPOSTER!” from Bill.

Eddie, “A common cold!”

“A motherfucking clown!” from Richie.

With every taunt, It began to shrink in size. The Losers cornered the monster in the area where they had attempted the Ritual of Chüd. They all started chanting the word, “Clown,” staring the beast right into its dull yellow eyes. It was the size of an infant. Eventually, It couldn’t hold itself up anymore and collapsed against the ground, head deflating. 

Mike stood over It and said, “You’re just a clown with a beating heart.” He reached into Its chest and pulled out a dark heart that was beating extremely fast. Beverly put her hand under Mike’s, and everyone else followed suit. They looked at It, which was lying motionless on the ground. It snarled at them.

“You’re all...grown...up…”

The Losers crushed the heart all at once. It disintegrated, large flakes floating into the air and being consumed by the bright blue deadlights. The heart did the same, and then everything was silent.

~~~~

A metal railing blocked the way to the ledge of the cliff. Things had definitely changed since the summer of 1989. It seemed like people finally figured out that jumping off of a cliff into not-super deep water was pretty dangerous. But did they care at that moment? No. That’s why they took off their shoes and jackets and hopped the fence, making their way to the edge.

Beverly smirked at the boys and said, “See you at the bottom.” She took a few steps back, then lept. The boys could only smile. Ben jumped next, the Bill, then Mike, then Richie, and lastly Eddie. They swam further out, going to the spot where they played that summer, when they were in their tighty-whities playing chicken and spotting the turtle.

They scrubbed themselves off as best as they could. Bev’s tank top was stained for life, and they were all going to need a proper shower afterward.

“You know, it’s kind of a double negative since we’re cleaning ourselves in dirty water,” Eddie said, trying to get the grime out of his hair, “like, you go swim in a pool and then bathe in another pool.”

“It’s better than n-nothing,” Bill said, splashing his own face. 

“Yeah, Eds,” Richie teased, “Besides, isn't a negative times a negative a positive?”

“Yeah, but a negative _ plus _a negative is still negative.”

Richie chuckled and took off his glasses, using the hem of his t-shirt to clean off the dirt. While doing so, his hand slipped and his thick frames plunked into the water.

“Shit...guys I dropped my glasses! I can’t see for shit.”

Bev, Ben, and Eddie all went under water to search for them. Richie felt a little hopeless, but he couldn’t help that his eyesight was so bad. After a few seconds, he heard a small splash near him. He felt soft skin against his face, and the next thing he knew his glasses were on and Eddie was right in front of him.

“They were basically right next to your feet, asshole,” Eddie smiled, “You made me go under dirty water for nothing.”

“Hey, you didn’t have to try and get them,” Richie adjusted his glasses, “you could have stayed up.”

Eddie shook his head, “Well, Ben and Bev are little caught up in each other.” Richie looked over to see the pair just then rise from the water, holding on to each other and giggling like a kindergarten couple on the school playground. 

Richie laughed, “What’s so wrong with that?”

“My, my, my,” Eddie teased, “Is Richie Tozier a secret romantic? I never pegged you as such a softie.”

“Even though we’ve just been through something worse than hell, it’s still been 27 years,” Richie averted his eyes, “you don’t know everything about me.”

“I know you are the most hilarious person ever,” Eddie said, “I know you care so much about people, but don’t like to show it. I know you have big dreams for your comedy career, but is held back by the horrible demon that is conservative Hollywood.”

Richie grinned, “Anything else you know?”

They somehow had inched closer to each other, maybe half a foot of space between them. Richie’s face had become blood red. Of course he had been this close to Eddie before, more times than he can count. He had been this close to all of the Losers at one point or another. That’s just how it is when you are best friends. But, of course, it was always different with Eddie. Well, it’s been different since the summer of 1989, when Eddie in his eyes went from being his best friend to his unrequited first love. That was such a sin back then, to love another boy. He never had the courage when he was older to come out, even when he moved to LA to kick off his career. He even slept around with women to try and hide it, but he was so miserable. He had been miserable for years. It wasn’t until he had come back to Derry did he feel that spark in his heart again. It wasn’t until he saw Eddie.

Eddie was also aware of their closeness. He swallowed a lump in his throat, “Is...um, is there anything you want me to say?”

Richie didn’t reply. He didn’t know if Eddie knew. He hoped he did, but there was no way of knowing. But he felt the tension between them. And tension tends to go both ways. He almost couldn’t stop himself. Richie, basically without thinking, leaned in and pecked Eddie’s lips, innocently and quickly.

Eddie’s face was unreadable. It was pale and expressionless. He just stared blankly at Richie, his hazel eyes darkening to almost brown. Richie gulped and said, “I’m sorry.”

Still, Eddie didn’t say anything. He just seemed so...confused. Or shocked. Or both. Richie shook his head and sunk it into the water, holding onto his glasses so they wouldn’t float off. His embarrassment got the better of him. There was a reason why this was his biggest secret.

When he couldn’t hold his breath any longer, Richie came back to the surface, but lost his breath again when Eddie kissed him hard.

Eddie’s hands went to Richie’s face, holding it into place. Richie wrapped his hands around Eddie’s waist. He could not believe what was actually happening. The whole experience was just...right. For the both of them.

When they parted, the only thing Richie could say was, “I have wanted that to happen since we were 13.”

“Yeah,” Eddie blushed, moving his arms to hang them over Richie’s shoulders, “same here.”

“You’re fucking with me,” Richie said, “You sure you aren’t It pretending to be Eddie just to fuck with me?”

“I don’t think It is as good of a kisser as me.”

Richie laughed and they pressed their foreheads together. It was perfect. At that moment, it was just them. No one else. No other Losers. Just Richie and Eddie.

Well, it was for about 10 seconds.

“Fucking finally!” 

The two looked over to see the others looking at them, Beverly clapping her hands together, “I knew it! I knew it when we were kids, and I knew it now!”

Richie raised an eyebrow, “You did?”

“You were very convincing,” Ben said, wrapping his arm around Bev’s shoulders, “but a little voice told me you two were meant to be.”

“We’re happy for you guys,” Bill said.

“What he said,” Mike replied, nudging Bill. 

The six of them laughed and continued to splash around, cleaning off as much as they could. They then left the quarry and headed to downtown, where they realized the scars from their blood oath were gone. They truly had won. They went back to the town house and crashed, and for the first time in what felt like forever, they all slept peacefully.

~~~~

“Where are we going?” Eddie asked as Richie drove. Richie had basically dragged Eddie to his rented red Mustang told him they were going on an adventure. It had been four days since they had defeated It, and they were the only two left in Derry, not including Mike, who was leaving for Florida that day. Bill had to leave the day after everything because of his movie, and Beverly left with Ben the next day, where they were going to spend some well deserved alone time together. 

Eddie had called Myra and told her he wanted a divorce. He told her everything that he could, that it took coming back home to realize what he had done with his life. How he was gay. He told her that none of it was her fault and that she was a really nice girl, but not the one for him. She didn’t really understand, but she agreed. She had asked if there was a guy involved, and Eddie didn’t lie. He said how he was moving to LA with Richie, his childhood best friend and first love. She allowed Richie to come and help pack Eddie’s things up, so the two of them were headed to New York the next day. But before they left, Richie had something to show Eddie.

Richie smiled, his eyes still on the road, “You’ll see.”

He turned off the main road and went into the wooded area, not far from the Barrens. They pulled onto a bridge. But not just any bridge.

“Rich, what are we doing here?” Eddie looked out the window at all of the carving on the wooden railing of the Kissing Bridge. Richie pulled to a stop just before the red tunnel. After turning off the car, he reached past Eddie and opened the glove compartment, taking out a pocket knife. He opened his door and said, “Come on.”

Eddie got out of the car and joined Richie at a spot not far from it. He looked at what Richie was looking at and gasped. He covered his mouth in shock when he saw it. It was their initials. _ R + E _. Very faded on the rotting wood.

“I first did it that summer,” Richie said, opening the knife, “after I realized how I felt about you. I needed to somehow get it out before I exploded. Of course, it’s been a while. I was thinking, before we leave for NYC tomorrow, we could redo it. Together.”

Eddie nodded immediately. He could not believe what a romantic Richie Tozier was. Of course he had been proven wrong over the past few days, with the night time cuddles and gentle kisses to Eddie’s stab wound, which was healing up nicer than expected (he still wore a bandage on it). But this was done years ago. It was hard to see Richie in this new light, but Eddie liked it. Actually, he loved it.

Softly giggling, Richie knelt down and traced over the faded _ R _, making it dark and deep, so people from far away could even read it. He did one line of the plus sign, then held up the knife to Eddie, “Finish it.”

Eddie joined him on the ground and took a deep breath. Slowly, he pressed the side of the blade into the faded _ E _and slid down, making sure it looked just as neat at Richie’s initial. The branches were a little harder to do, but it in the end it looked clean. He did the cross section of the plus, then gave the knife back to Richie. They stood up and looked at their work. It was beautiful. Now, their love was permanently engraved into life, and this time that love was alive and true. Richie leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to Eddie’s lips, which Eddie gladly reciprocated. 

When they parted, Eddie leaned his head on Richie’s chest, wrapping his arms around his torso. Richie put an arm around Eddie’s shoulders and pulled him closer. The moment was so content and light and real. They didn’t want it to change.

“I love you, Rich,” Eddie said, looking up at him. Richie smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of Eddie’s head.

“I love you, too, Eddie.” 

After another minute or so, they decided to head to the library to help Mike pack his last few things and see him off. They got back into the Mustang and slowly pulled away. They might not have had any plans to return to Derry anytime soon, but their love forever had a place in their hometown, along with the craziness, horror, and beauty of their journey to each other.


End file.
